Espionage isn’t what it used to be in the “good old days.”

Though the original Cold War has been over for 30+ years, intelligence officers and spywriters sometimes long for 20th century espionage. Let’s face it, some of the most far-reaching and fascinating acts of spying can be found in that century, especially from World War II onward. The Cold War years–roughly 1945 to 1991–provided the fodder for some great espionage fiction. No wonder we’re nostalgic.

As we moved into the 21st century and 9/11 happened, espionage and writing fiction about it had to evolve.

A Changing Landscape

Cyber espionage became the new way to gather intelligence. Why recruit when you can hack? Why try an armed attack when you can disrupt an economy or a government with keystrokes?

“Traditional” forms of intelligence gathering of HUMINT–human intelligence–fell into disuse. Some critics say that was a mistake, that there’s nothing quite like the human element in intelligence gathering. But cyber espionage is safer in a way. Little chance of a network of informants being betrayed. A savings in paying for intelligence, where the chance was you might be paying for chickenfeed–fake or useless intelligence.

And now we have artificial intelligence, which is a two-edged sword. Yes, its algorithms can be used to search more databases in quicker times, but it is also a rising instrument in creating and disseminating disinformation. In an era of “deep-fake” photos used in memes that go viral in seconds, disinformation can be a positive method for one intelligence agency while another is a victim of it.

In the nostalgic past, spying ramped up in wartime or in times of societal crisis. Cyber espionage has made intelligence gathering in peacetime as widespread as it had been in wartime. Again, in the past, confrontations between countries while gathering intelligence were sporadic. Now, it can be a daily butting of heads all done in the metaverse.

Of course, this means countries have to increase their cybersecurity protections, but almost as often as we come up with a way to protect our secrets, some hacker in a Moldovan troll farm has figured a way around it.

However, this does present spywriters with a lot of possibilities for fiction. Tom Clancy, or rather his ghost writers, have used this surge in cyber espionage to good effect. And the good thing about it, is that it changes so rapidly that you can easily take a little dramatic license with the capabilities of the technology. (Been there, done that.)

Even the cyber espionage events that have hit the global news are full of juicy plot points. Edward Snowden revealed in his leaking of classified information the extent of the NSA’s mass domestic and international surveillance program. The downside is that this fostered distrust in governments while at the same time sparking a debate on the right to privacy.

Another downside was cyber espionage in the 2016 election in the U.S., and in every election since. It showed that in a democracy with a desire to be as transparent as national security allows that that can be exploited.

Walking a Tightrope Between Espionage and Fiction

Rare is the occasion that your online research in public access sites as a fiction writer will lead you to classified information. I won’t say it never happens. It’s never happened to me, and that’s all I can go on. If you want a comedic take on this, watch the movie Argylle, which is about a spywriter whose plots become too close to reality and who comes to the attention of authorities. (There’s a twist at the end, but it’s an entertaining romp into this possibility.)

If you were to come across something classified, what do you do? First, you may not know it’s classified, i.e., the warnings may have been removed in a screenshot. Second, conduct some deeper research to see if you can find the same information in other sources–on a public government site, a major news media site, etc. Third, if you can’t confirm it that way, leave it alone. Simple as that.

Should you report what you found? That’s going to be entirely up to you and how much you want the FBI digging into your browser history. Chances are, the authorities already know it’s out there. (As a joke (maybe, maybe not), I often post on social media that I’m a writer, and that’s why my browser history is so odd.)

However, fiction writers of espionage can shape public awareness and even affect policy decisions. Your writing is your bully pulpit. I’ve used mine to show the dangers of extreme right-wing groups in the U.S. and how false intelligence can be used to justify unnecessary wars. Much like a journalist, spywriters create a more informed citizen and engender discussions about transparency in government accountability. (I know I tried.)

International relations come into play in spy fiction as well because spy fiction can show the reality of cooperation among intelligence agencies against a common enemy and their adversarial relationships as well. It never hurts for an informed populace to take an interest in foreign policy and exert a bit of pressure on governments to alter their diplomatic stances. Through fiction, we spywriters can create public awareness that may induce governments to work on a better balance between secrecy and public interests.

Crafting Compelling Stories

Of course, all of the above is incumbent upon a spywriter creating a story that is compelling as well as realistic. Unless you’re a writer who has worked in the intelligence community, like Ian Fleming, John le Carre, or Stella Rimington, you have to research to the nth degree. Much like an intelligence analyst, you have to pick through your research to find the “gold among the chickenfeed.”

It’s important that technology and geopolitics fit the time you’re writing about. Thank goodness for the Google in that regard. Spywriters often use the same techniques as intelligence analysts do–Open Source Intelligence, i.e., using applications like Google Earth or the CIA’s public domain, unclassified reports to make sure your historical and cultural references are accurate. I once wrote a car chase scene by using the street view feature on Google Earth and Maps. I’ve also found OSINT a great tool for resolving plot points.

You can also interview former or current intelligence officers or other experts in the field of espionage, mindful of the fact they may have some information they can’t share. I have a couple of friends retired from a certain intelligence agency who help me out to get things accurate.

Spy fiction often falls under the “thriller” genre, so building tension is key to the story. Indeed, tension is one of the thriller tropes that is a must in spy fiction. Much like a mystery, spy fiction has to have twists and turns, maybe even a red herring or two. Your research, however, will give you the “juicy” details that will keep readers turning the page. Espionage certainly has enough of these tropes in reality that you’ll find it easy to craft a great story without delving into fantasy.

Attention to detail and being authentic to the reality of espionage will make your work distinctive among the vast array of spy thrillers.

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For a good example of how extensive research works in a spy thriller, you might be interested in my upcoming novel, For My Country, which is about a KGB training officer and takes place in the ’50s through the ’90s. You can find the paperback edition HERE starting 7/13/2024.